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11.18.2003

i'm giving away my piano.

mom wants me to get rid of my old piano that is still sitting in their house in cleveland heights. i'm tired of laying guilt trips on her, so i'll give it away on craigslist. here is the post:

Free piano

to a good home...

Okay, my mom is really tired of looking at the upright piano that has been a fixture in her Cleveland Heights home for the past 25 years or so. I learned how to play on it, but I left home 12 years ago and she wants to just get rid of it. I live in San Francisco now, so there is no way I could ship it out here, so I've decided to do the right thing and give it away, since it is mine.

Let me describe it. It is an Edwardian-style Willis upright piano that might have looked right at home in a New England saloon about 100 years ago (about its age, btw). It sat in a barn in Maine for 70 years before my parents got it back in the 70's for me to learn how to play on. The exterior wood of the piano is gorgeous...flawless...made of solid red oak...my mom has taken really good care of it over the years. Now, it does need work internally. D-sharp right above middle-C is broken (but easily fixed). It needs to be tuned (kind of sounds like a saloon piano) and half the ivories are missing. With a little work, it'd be a gorgeous musical instrument. However, it does play, 2 of the 3 pedals work, and when the key cover is closed you can't see the missing ivories.

Now, here is the catch.

I refuse to give this piano away to someone who is just going to turn around and sell it. That is defeating the whole purpose of the "free" concept. So don't ask. I also refuse to give it away to someone who will destroy it or use it in some demented art project...there is too much sentimental value in this piano to me.

I will only give it to a young family who has a child who has shown interest in playing piano...kind of like my parents did back in 1977 or so when they got it free so I could hone my skills on it. I also will not give it to a family who wants to force their child to play...I'd rather the piano be something cherished instead of something loathed. I'd love nothing more for a young family to have this beautiful piano in their home to pass down to someone someday.

You also have to come get it yourself. When my father helped carry it up the front stairs with my uncle, he was 34 years old and my uncle was about the same age. Now my dad is 60 and my uncle is no longer with us, so you're going to have to get a truck and some strong friends to help you with it.

My parents live in Cleveland Heights, right by Monticello and Noble. Send me an e-mail if you're interested, and I'll try to coordinate this from San Francisco. Remember...this piano is absolutely FREE to a good home, but you'll have to qualify for it. :) Just respond to this post, and lets talk.

it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests